I went to meet another widow
and didn't know what to say.
What words of wisdom or comfort
could I possibly offer?
What sorrows and traumas
does she hold in her heart?
What does she need to say in
the presence of another who knows?
I too am a widow and I don't have the answers.
I worry I will say too much, or maybe too little.
Should I say anything it all?
But then I remembered:
Presence is important.
Being seen matters.
Showing up means more
than well crafted words.
So I showed up.
Not to rescue, fix or heal.
Not to answer questions or give advice.
Simply as a witness to her pain and
the love and loss that have shaped her life.
She shared and so did I.
We showed pictures of the men we still love
and smiled big smiles when we talked about what made them so dear to us.
Then we said goodbye
and drove away.
It wasn't profound -
It was presence.
I showed up for her,
she showed up for me,
and we both felt a little less alone.